wheel bearings

[springerfever]

Another poster mentioned wheel bearings, and I got to thinking...

Are wheel bearings a regular maintenance item on the ML ? Mine is a 99 ML430 and for the life of me in the 240,000 miles I have had it, I don't think they have ever been replaced.

What gives........I know on my 75 CJ5, repacking wheel bearings is a regular ritual every couple of years........does the ML have a different type of wheel bearing setup that requires no maintenance ?

[Ron in SC]

Are wheel bearings a regular maintenance item on the ML ?

I've wondered that too. It does look to be pain to do them; with special tools it would seem.

[mbdoc]

The ML wheel bearings are SEALED double ball bearings & require NO maintenance.

[Ron in SC]

require NO maintenance

For those of us that basically keep our vehicles until the wheels fall off does that mean in excess of 300K miles?

[springerfever]

Originally Posted by Ron in SC

For those of us that basically keep our vehicles until the wheels fall off does that mean in excess of 300K miles?

Good question, Ron.

I really doubt that Mercedes ever expected some of their components to last that long. I'm sure that 99% of their vehicles never approach these high mileage levels.

[thorsen]

Originally Posted by Ron in SC

For those of us that basically keep our vehicles until the wheels fall off does that mean in excess of 300K miles?

It means that you drive on it until it fails, then you replace it. Repacking the bearings is not possible.

FWIW, the front bearings on my 1999 ML gave up the ghost @95,000 miles.